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There's a lot of Frisell on YouTube and I love much of what he does. There's often a sense of deliberation or even hesitation in much of his playing that perfectly fits his personality but I don't think I've heard him play with such a feeling of joyous abandon as he does here on this Little Anthony and the Imperials classic.
Is it jazz guitar? ... probably not but just great electric guitar playing regardless of genre labels.
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11-10-2017 07:51 AM
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Actually, La la Means I Love You was by the great Philly group the Delphonics.
Frisell sounds like he really loves the chart.
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Doh! You're right.
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Bill does enjoy revisiting the pop music of his (our...) youth...
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Originally Posted by AndyV
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Yup, and unfortunately, Frisell is probably the freshest most original thing that happened in Jazz (guitar), and he is already old man. What he does is the closest thing to that "next big step in Jazz" that never happened and probably never will. I mean, it happened, he did it, but did not happen big enough. Guitar players will rather discuss Gipsy Jazz, or some other artistically long dead and buried form and player, instead. It's easier to full mouth angling the pick, history and theory, exciting strings to vibration, than music. making, so, what Frisell is best in, is not financially viable enough for Jazz police. to promote. No wonder larger public knows. him even less.
To be fair, on occasion I thought Ambercrombie was somewhere there, but he is dead now.
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No one like Bill Frisell, the one and only. Love listening to his music, his arrangement of Surfer Girl is another interesting take on an oldie.
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George Shearing said of Oscar Peterson something like "He doesn't take much time to smell the roses, does he?"
Bill takes the time to smell the roses and explore every nuance of texture and aroma.
As you say, this is lost on legions of Gypsy Jazzers who aspire to play the guitar like a machine gun but will never approach the poetry of Django's playing. Don't get me wrong - I like fast players too - especially when they are saying something via speed and precision but Bill's playing seems to speak from and to the heart directly. While he's shown a light towards the end of the bebop tunnel, few want to follow.Last edited by AndyV; 11-11-2017 at 12:07 PM.
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I love his work.....always interesting....this was, and still is a beautiful tune.......
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Big Frisell fan, here.
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Originally Posted by AndyV
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I think the lesson from Bill is not to play like Bill, but to be your self and be true to what you love. It is really hard to play like a guy who sounds so unique independent of guitar amp effects etc. This couldn't be further from his normal rigs and yet blindfolded you can tell it is him instantly.
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Originally Posted by Greentone
Not only was La La Means I Love You a huge 1968 soul hit, the recording charted #4 on the Billboard pop list. It bears mentioning that song was co-written by the great songwriter Thom Bell. Thom wrote a follow up tune for The Delfonics in 1970 called "didn't I blow your mind" that went on to receive a Grammy nomination.
Bell arranged hits for Jerry Butler, Archie Bell & The Drells, The O'Jays and Dusty Springfield. Everything Bell touched turned gold. You heard of the O'Jay's hit "back stabbers." That's TB's arrangement.
TB moved on from the great Gamble-Huff Philadelphia International records to produce and write for The Stylistics. As if that wasn't enough Bell did something Berry Gordy couldn't do, creating a hit group out of The Spinners, who'd floundered at Motown.
Thom Bell hits:
- 1968: "La-La (Means I Love You)" - The Delfonics
- 1970: "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" - The Delfonics
- 1971: "Hey Love" - The Delfonics
- 1971: "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" - The Stylistics
- 1971: "You Are Everything" - The Stylistics
- 1972: "People Make the World Go Round" - The Stylistics
- 1972: "I'm Stone in Love with You" - The Stylistics
- 1972: "I'll Be Around" - The Spinners
- 1972: "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love" - The Spinners
- 1973: "I'm Doing Fine Now" - New York City
- 1973: "One of a Kind (Love Affair)" - The Spinners
- 1973: "Ghetto Child" - The Spinners
- 1973: "Break Up to Make Up" - The Stylistics
- 1974: "You Make Me Feel Brand New" - The Stylistics
- 1974: "Mighty Love (Part I)" - The Spinners
- 1974: "Then Came You" - The Spinners (with Dionne Warwick)
- 1975: "They Just Can't Stop It the (Games People Play)" - The Spinners
- 1976: "The Rubberband Man" - The Spinners
- 1979: "Are You Ready for Love" - Elton John (with the Spinners)
- 1979: "Mama Can't Buy You Love" - Elton John
- 1981: "Silly" - Deniece Williams
- 1982: "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" - Deniece Williams
- 1990: "I Don't Have the Heart" - James Ingram
- 1968: "La-La (Means I Love You)" - The Delfonics
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i thought they spelled it with an "f".
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Wow! What list of hits - that was the soundtrack to my Philly radio upbringing. Thanks for the back story.
Here's some insight into the impact of 60s pop on Bill:
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Originally Posted by AndyV
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Huge Frisell fan. Thanks for posting. I have not seen a video with Tony playing stand-up. Tony is a tasty guitar player too. Trying to play Bill's Fretboard journal solo excursions (along with the help of Jan's transcriptions) have given me months, even years of guitar entertainment.
At the very end of La La is that the "works" of musical jewelry box he is feeding through his pick-ups?
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Really enjoyed "Shennandoah" as Frisell played it. The small-bodied Gibson sounds great. Perfect guitar for the chart.
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Another favorite Bill take on "Shenandoah"
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I found some the content in this Frisell lesson very illuminating - especially his intervalic approach to double stops over 7th chords. There's a lot more there if one takes the time to dig. You can always tell who's playing very quickly when you hear Bill play.
Digging Deeper: Bill Frisell | 2016-04-29 | Premier Guitar
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Originally Posted by AndyV
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Gonna get flamed here, but i just never got into Frisell. Bores me to tears
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dreburden,
Wouldn't dare flame you. It's all subjective. I, for example, get bored silly with the deedle-ee-dee players who just pile on note after note. I could name a bunch of them, but why bother? The point is, many players just get super energized by the playing of that sort of guitarist.
But, in rock, I always got more out of Clapton than out of Satriani, Same thing. Oh, yeah...my favorite was Steve Cropper--soul substance tops nat notes, for me.
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Originally Posted by dreburden
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Art is completely subjective so no worries, here. For instance, I'm supposed to adore every note Billie Holiday ever sang. Never liked listening to anything she ever recorded - not even one bar and don't get me started on Bob Dylan!
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